During the month of July, three iFTI, two Job Corps field representatives and Director Reusing, along with two IUPAT apprentices participated as exhibitors in the DREAM BIG ASCA Annual Conference in Atlanta, GA. With its largest crowd to date, 5,000 attendees from around the country, our IUPAT team was able to connect and personally talk with hundreds of counselors and introduce them to the pre-apprentice and apprenticeship programs available to their students. As is often the case, very few counselors had heard of the finishing trades. Eyes lit up and stories were told of the needs they have for their students to pursue a learning and career pathway outside of immediate entrance into a college degree program. Counselors had students in mind when they realized there is a pathway that allows them to immediately immerse themselves in learning new skills and knowledge, work on a jobsite with experienced tradespersons, gain qualifications that future employers want, and earn a living wage while doing so.
Many counselors are interested in IUPAT participation in career exploration days or small group informational sessions for students and parents interested in learning more about a career in the trades. Stay tuned for learning more about the connections made in your local areas!